Rear bumper fabrication?

[v8s_are_slow]

I'm wanting to do a side exit exhaust on my 98 GS-T that I'll be doing an awd conversion on. Figure it'll save some weight, add more power, and don't have to worry about exhaust hangers needing to be put on, not to mention buying a full exhaust system. But I don't wanna be exhaust-less in the back and have that ugly cutout with nothing there to fill the gap. Trying to think of a way to fill it so that it looks the same all the way across the bottom of the bumper. Get what I'm saying? My car is green. Don't wanna do anything that looks ghetto. Ideas are more than welcome cause I can't think of anything. Thanks.

 

[turboglenn]

Well, When i am fabbing on that material (more so motorcycle plastics) i have a little recipe that works great. The first thing to do is to take some old junk plastic bumper to start with and use for materials. Cut a section from it to fill in your hole, gap whatever. Then, take a drill, saw or anything you can and make a ton of shavings from the scrap bumper material. Once you get about half a quart jar full of shavings, start adding a product called MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone IIRC ) IT will disolve the plastic shavings in the jar into a goo that's able to be used as a body filler on the plastic, it is also able to be used as a "plastic weld" of sorts and works great. Find a way to hold your piece you cut to fit the hole where you want it. Then start with a fine bead of the "special sauce" to attatch it (remove the paint first though). Then once that first layer/bead attatches the piece you cut out to the rest of the bumper you can start to add more of the home made filler ( a thin layer dries in 20 minutes, the thicker you make it the longer it takes to dry so use several thin coats).

Add as much as you can in the front and on the back for strength and sand and smooth the outside of the bumper and use glazing putty for plastics (get it at body shop supply places), the MEK left in the mix will soften the bumper and allow the new plastic to permanently attatch to the filler pieces and filler to the rest of the bumper, so strength never has to be worried about.

However, the stuff will always have air bubles in it when you sand it, so once you've got a nice layer that seals the filler patches onto the rest start using finer glazing puttys and such to get that final smooth surface for painting

This is an old-school secret that i've used for years, like i said though i mainly used it on bikes where a piece of plastic is 600 bucks or i can patch the old stuff and paint it to look just as good and save the customer money while i make more of what they do spend into proffit, I've never had a complaint out of this type of repair EVER... the harbor frieght plastic welding kit doesn't hold a match to this method.

Keep a lid on your mix when not using it or it will harden up too and it's harder to re-soften it once it's dried in a blob (hence why you make shavings to start with) YOu might have to find yourself adding some MEK to the mix to keep it "wet" as you work with it. YOu want a thicker paste (about like mixed up bondo) so that it dwon't run as bad and will stay where you put it....and just a reminder...remove the paint where you're attaching the new piece so the MEK can do it's job and bond the new pieces to the bumper like it was meant to be that way.

Good luck and post some pics.. If you need more info on doing this PM me if i dont' respond here within the day.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

Thanks for the info. Wish there were some pics or something to show a step-by-step sorta thing. But I'll get around to doing this. Just never done any kinda body work so it makes me nervous. Thanks.

 

[stefanOst]

I've always liked the idea of side exit exhausts, but I've never seen one on a DSM. Probably would look really cool if done well. Looking forward to seeing some finished pictures!! Just thinking, this might be way easier on a 1gb, because perhaps you could swap on a 1ga rear bumper without the cutout. Good luck with it!!

 

[hubz91talontsi]

I plan on doing this on my first gen this week. Ill see if i can get some together

 

[Project2G]

I plan on doing this but will probably go with a cut out so I can control when it opens up.

 

[brainlessher0]

We produce a carbon fiber rear lip that we could modify to block off the exhaust port.

We will be releasing the product in a week or so

 

[v8s_are_slow]

That'd be awesome. Any pics by chance?

 

[gixrman]

Well, When i am fabbing on that material (more so motorcycle plastics) i have a little recipe that works great. The first thing to do is to take some old junk plastic bumper to start with and use for materials. Cut a section from it to fill in your hole, gap whatever. Then, take a drill, saw or anything you can and make a ton of shavings from the scrap bumper material. Once you get about half a quart jar full of shavings, start adding a product called MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone IIRC ) IT will disolve the plastic shavings in the jar into a goo that's able to be used as a body filler on the plastic, it is also able to be used as a "plastic weld" of sorts and works great. Find a way to hold your piece you cut to fit the hole where you want it. Then start with a fine bead of the "special sauce" to attatch it (remove the paint first though). Then once that first layer/bead attatches the piece you cut out to the rest of the bumper you can start to add more of the home made filler ( a thin layer dries in 20 minutes, the thicker you make it the longer it takes to dry so use several thin coats).

Add as much as you can in the front and on the back for strength and sand and smooth the outside of the bumper and use glazing putty for plastics (get it at body shop supply places), the MEK left in the mix will soften the bumper and allow the new plastic to permanently attatch to the filler pieces and filler to the rest of the bumper, so strength never has to be worried about.

However, the stuff will always have air bubles in it when you sand it, so once you've got a nice layer that seals the filler patches onto the rest start using finer glazing puttys and such to get that final smooth surface for painting

This is an old-school secret that i've used for years, like i said though i mainly used it on bikes where a piece of plastic is 600 bucks or i can patch the old stuff and paint it to look just as good and save the customer money while i make more of what they do spend into proffit, I've never had a complaint out of this type of repair EVER... the harbor frieght plastic welding kit doesn't hold a match to this method.

Keep a lid on your mix when not using it or it will harden up too and it's harder to re-soften it once it's dried in a blob (hence why you make shavings to start with) YOu might have to find yourself adding some MEK to the mix to keep it "wet" as you work with it. YOu want a thicker paste (about like mixed up bondo) so that it dwon't run as bad and will stay where you put it....and just a reminder...remove the paint where you're attaching the new piece so the MEK can do it's job and bond the new pieces to the bumper like it was meant to be that way.

Good luck and post some pics.. If you need more info on doing this PM me if i dont' respond here within the day.

Thats some great info, you always amaze me with your crafty ways!!

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

We use MEK at work all the time, anyone that uses it should be aware that it's some highly toxic stuff, a good sniff and you'll get a bloody nose. A mask is mandatory and it'll tingle on your skin, it'll burn worse than salt in any cuts so watch out for that.

 

[brainlessher0]

We now of pics of our rear lip on the vendors forum